More than 100 men and women want to file new charges against Sean 'DD' Combs, attorney says | CNN

Sean “Diddy” Combs could soon face new allegations from more than 100 men and women who have received legal representation and plan to file civil suits against the embattled media mogul in the coming weeks, according to Houston-based attorney Tony Buzbee.

Buzbee said at a press conference Tuesday that his firm, The Buzbee Law Firm and AVA Law Group, have retained at least 120 individuals “to file civil lawsuits” against Combs and those who “contacted them after claiming to be victims” by Combs. and other persons or entities.

According to Buzbee, some of the lawsuits they intend to file focus on allegations of violent sexual assault or rape, sexual assault, facilitating sex with controlled substances, false imprisonment, forced prostitution, sexual misconduct, promoting video recordings and sexual assault. a minor

The musician and businessman was indicted earlier this month on federal charges including sex trafficking. Combs has pleaded not guilty.

Buzby said that of the 120 people his firm retained, half were men and half were women, and 25 of those people were minors at the time of the alleged incidents, which they said took place in Los Angeles, New York and Miami during parties and, occasionally, in the music industry. Related Auditions.

“As Mr. Combs' legal team emphasized, the media cannot address every meritless allegation that has become reckless in the circus. That said, Mr. Combs has vehemently and categorically denied as false and defamatory that he sexually assaulted anyone, including minors,” Erica Wolff, an attorney for Combs, told CNN in a statement Tuesday.

Wolff added that Combs “looks forward to proving his innocence and proving himself in court if and when demanded and served, where the truth will be established based on evidence, not speculation.”

The firm said it plans to begin filing these cases within the next 30 days as it continues a verification and evidence-gathering process.

More than 55% of victims “reported the behavior to authorities, i.e. the police or the hospital,” said Buzby, adding that his firm is actively working to collect records of reports made to authorities.

Buzby also clarified that his firm is not filing class action lawsuits, but rather that each lawsuit will be filed individually in different states. Combs, he said, won't be the only defendant named in the civil suit in some cases, as Buzby said other people and entities could also be named based on claims and evidence they collect.

Since last November, Combs has been hit with 12 civil lawsuits, 11 of which directly accuse him of sexual harassment. Combs has denied many of the allegations against him and settled a claim, but has yet to respond to all of the active lawsuits.

He is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, where he is awaiting trial on three felony sex trafficking and racketeering charges after being indicted by a grand jury. Combs' attorneys are appealing his detention, seeking release from jail pending trial.

A source previously told CNN that most of the defendants who filed the civil suit met with federal investigators during their months-long investigation. In March, Combs' residences in Los Angeles and Miami were searched by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations.

Following Combs' arrest, authorities said the investigation remains active and ongoing.